Variable-speed gear



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. H BEHREN S VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

Patented Feb. 8, 1898.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. BEHRENS. VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

No. 598,762. Patented Feb. 8, 1898" Z? W trauma;

(No Model.) 3 SheetsShet 3.

H. BEHREN S. VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

No. 598,762. PatentedPeb. 8, 1898.

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PATENT VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,762, dated February8, 1898.

Application filed January 12 1897- Serlal No. 618,997. (No model.)

ing at I-Iuntingburg, in the county of Dubois and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and useful Variable-Speed Gear, of which the following isa specification.

This invention is a new and useful construction of variable-speed gear,the object of the invention being to provide an exceedingly cheap,simple, durable, and efiicient mechanical construction whereby thetransmission of power from the power-shaft to the driven shaft can beregulated as desired, so that the said driven shaft can be moved at anyspeed desired.

With this object in view my invention consists in the peculiarconstruction of the various parts and in their novel combination orarrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter andpointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a speed-gear constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a viewshowing the mechanism of the transmitting-gear. Fig. 4 is a partial sideelevation showing the manner of applying my invention to abicycle. Fig.5 is a detail perspective view of the crank-arm attached to thedrive-shaft of the bicycle. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sectionof gear carrying the worm-gear upon the exterior. Fig. 7 is a transversevertical section of the bicycle-driving mechanism. Fig. Sis a detailView showing the manner of shifting the pulley. Fig. 9 is a detail topplan View showing the manner of applying the invention to an electriccar.

In the practical application of my invention I propose to use it uponhorseless carriages, bicycles, electric cars, hoisting-machi nes, andsimilar devices, and, in fact, the invention can be used in connectionwith any sort of ma chinery wherever it is desired or necessary toregulate the speed between the power and driven shafts.

The essential features of my invention are the same throughout all themodifications, inasmuch as it comprehends a power-shaft A, operated fromany suitable source, which drives a cone pulley B by means of suitablegearing, which cone-pulley drives a reverselyarranged cone-pulley 0through the medium of an adjustable friction pulley or Wheel D, thesecond cone-pulley carrying a worm-shaft E, which meshes with aworm-gear F, formed integral with a disk G, said disk having a pinionI-I journaled upon the inner face and meshing with aninternal gear I,and also with a pinion K, mounted upon the power-shaft A, the gear Ibeing connected with the shaft to be driven in any suitable manner. Thefeatures just referred to are to be found in all of the'various forms ofmy invention, and, referring now especially to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, I willparticularly describe the construction which I prefer to use inconnection with the horseless carriage, the device being illustrated andarranged upon the chamber-of a gasolene-engine.

Power is transmitted to the shaft Ain any suitable manner, and mountedupon the shaft is a beveled gear A',which meshes with a similar beveledgear A and thereby drives the cone-pul1eyB,said pulley being mountedupon a shaft B, which is journaled upon one end in a bracket 13 and atthe opposite end in a hanger E the journal-box B being movable withinthe hanger, and connected to the said box is a coil-spring B thetendency of which is to move the said box inwardly and. downwardly alongthe hanger. The friction pulley or wheel D is journaled in a suitablebracket D, which travels upon a screw D", operated in any suitablemanner to move the said pulley or wheel back or forth, as desired. Acone-pulley C is arranged upon a shaft 0, journaled between the bracketsO and G and upon the end of this shaft 0 is mounted the worm E, whichmeshes with the wormgear F before referred to, and it will be noted thatan oil-cup E is arranged beneath the worm E, and into which the saidworm dips, so that it and the gear can be kept constantly lubricated.The worm-gear F is formed integralwith a disk G, which is mountedloosely upon the power-shaft A and carries a pinion I-I upon the innerside, said pinion meshing with the internal teeth of the gear I, whichis also loosely mounted upon the power-shaft A and carries a sprocketintegral therewith upon the outer side. A pinion K is mounted upon thepower-shaft A within the gear I, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Now in operation it will be distinctly understood that poweristransmitted directly through the inclosed gear only and not throughthe cone-pulleys. The cone-pulleys, in connection with the adj ustablefrictionpulley, vary the speed at which the worm-gear will be operated,and consequently theinternal gear.

In Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 I have shown the manner'of applying my inventionto a bicycle, and, referring to these figures, A indicates thepower-shaft, which has a crank-arm M rigid therewith, and mounted uponthe said arm are the pinions M and M which mesh with each other and alsowith the pinion K at the center and the internal gear I the periphery ofthe internal gear I contacting with the tire of the rear wheel, as mostclearly shown. The cone-pulleys B and C and friction-pulley D arearranged in substantially the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; butinstead of the screw-rod D I employ a rod D which is operated byahand-lever D so that the pulley can be quickly adjusted between thecone-pulleys. The disk G is recessed or dished, as shown at G to permitthe revolution of the crank-arm M, as most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and7. It will of course be understood that all of the gears, shafts, andpinions will be provided with ball-bearings for the purpose of reducingthe friction.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the principles 'of my invention applied to anelectric railway-car, and, referring especially to the said figure, itwill be noted that the power-shaft A conepulleys B and C, andfriction-pulley D are arranged in substantially the same manner, theaxle of the carbeing indicated by the letter A The internal gear I isexactly the same as that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the central pinionbeing fastened to the power-shaft A, which in the present instance istubular and fitted upon the axle and provided with a gear A, whichmeshes with the gears of the motor. The internal gear I is rigidlymounted upon the axle by means of the pin I and in order to maintain thedisk and worm-gear in place I employ a collar 1.

It will thus be seen that I provide an eX- ceedingly cheap and simpleconstruction of variable-speed gear which can be quickly and easilyadapted for all the various purposes and one which will thoroughly andefficiently perform all of the objects for which it is intended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a variable-speed gear, the combination with the drive-shaft, of thecone-pulley operated from the said drive-shaft,the reverselyarrangedcone-pulley, and the friction-pulley arranged between the twocone-pulleys, the worm-shaft operated from the reverselyarrangedcone-pulley, the disk and gear operated by said worm loosely mounted onsaid drive-shaft, a pinion carried by said disk and a driving-disk alsoloosely mounted on said drive-shaft, and having internal teeth which areengaged by the pinion, substantially as shown and described. Y

HENRY BEI-IRENS.

Witnesses:

I. BOLIN, T. R. FISHER.

